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Merkel Cell Carcinoma
Summary Type: Treatment
Summary Audience: Patients
Summary Language: English
Summary Description: Expert-reviewed information summary about the treatment of Merkel cell carcinoma.
Merkel Cell Carcinoma
General Information About Merkel Cell Carcinoma
Merkel cell carcinoma is a very rare disease in which malignant (cancer) cells form in the skin.
Merkel cells are hormone -making cells found in the top layer of the skin. These cells are very close to the nerve endings that receive the sensation of touch. Merkel cell carcinoma , also called neuroendocrine carcinoma , is a very rare type of skin cancer that develops when Merkel cells grow out of control. Merkel cell carcinoma starts most often in areas of skin exposed to the sun, such as the head, neck, arms, and legs.
Merkel cell carcinoma tends to grow quickly and to metastasize (spread) at an early stage . It spreads first to nearby lymph nodes and then may spread to the liver , bone, lungs , brain, or other parts of the body.
Sun exposure and having a weak immune system can affect the risk of developing Merkel cell carcinoma.
Risk factors include the following:
Merkel cell carcinoma usually appears as a single painless lump on sun-exposed skin.
This and other changes in the skin may be caused by Merkel cell carcinoma. Other conditions may cause the same symptoms . A doctor should be consulted if changes in the skin are seen.
Merkel cell carcinoma usually appears on sun-exposed skin as a single lump that is:
- Fast-growing.
- Painless.
- Firm and dome-shaped or raised.
- Red or violet in color.
Tests and procedures that examine the skin are used to detect (find) and diagnose Merkel cell carcinoma.
The following tests and procedures may be used:
- Physical exam and history: An exam of the body to check general signs of health, including checking for signs of disease, such as lumps or anything else that seems unusual. A history of the patient’s health habits and past illnesses and treatments will also be taken.
- Full-body skin exam: A doctor or nurse checks the skin for bumps or spots that look abnormal in color, size, shape, or texture. The size, shape, and texture of the lymph nodes will also be checked.
- Biopsy : The removal of cells or tissues so they can be viewed under a microscope by a pathologist to check for signs of cancer . To diagnose Merkel cell carcinoma, cells are treated with a special stain and viewed with an electron microscope .
Certain factors affect prognosis (chance of recovery) and treatment options.
The prognosis (chance of recovery ) and treatment options depend on the following:
- The stage of the cancer (the size of the tumor and whether it has spread to the lymph nodes or other parts of the body).
- Where the cancer is in the body.
- Whether the cancer has just been diagnosed or has recurred (come back).
- The patient's age and general health.
Prognosis also depends on how deeply the tumor has grown into the skin.
Stages of Merkel Cell Carcinoma
After Merkel cell carcinoma has been diagnosed, tests are done to find out if cancer cells have spread to other parts of the body.
The process used to find out if cancer has spread to other parts of the body is called staging . The information gathered from the staging process determines the stage of the disease. It is important to know the stage in order to plan treatment. The following tests and procedures may be used in the staging process:
- Complete blood count (CBC): A procedure in which a sample of blood is drawn and checked for the following:
- Lymph node biopsy : The removal of all or part of a lymph node. A pathologist views the tissue under a microscope to look for cancer cells .
- Liver function test : A blood test to measure the blood levels of certain substances released by the liver . A high or low level of certain substances can be a sign of disease in the liver.
- CT scan (CAT scan): A procedure that makes a series of detailed pictures of areas inside the body, taken from different angles. The pictures are made by a computer linked to an x-ray machine. A dye may be injected into a vein or swallowed to help the organs or tissues show up more clearly. This procedure is also called computed tomography, computerized tomography, or computerized axial tomography. CT scanning of the head and neck may be used to detect Merkel cell carcinoma that has spread to the lymph nodes.
- Octreotide scan : A type of radionuclide scan used to find carcinomas and other types of tumors . A small amount of radioactive octreotide (a hormone that attaches to carcinoid tumors ) is injected into a vein and travels through the bloodstream. The radioactive octreotide attaches to the tumor and a special camera that detects radioactivity is used to show where the tumor cells are in the body.
The following stages are used for Merkel cell carcinoma:
Stage IA
In stage IA , the cancer is smaller than 2 centimeters in diameter and has not spread to lymph nodes or other parts of the body.
Stage IB
In stage IB , the cancer is 2 centimeters or larger in diameter and has not spread to lymph nodes or other parts of the body.
Stage II
In stage II , the cancer may be any size and has spread to nearby lymph nodes , but has not spread to other parts of the body.
Stage III
In stage III , the cancer may be any size and has spread beyond nearby lymph nodes to other parts of the body.
Recurrent Merkel Cell Carcinoma
Recurrent Merkel cell carcinoma is cancer that has recurred (come back) after it has been treated. The cancer may come back in the skin, lymph nodes , or other parts of the body. It is common for Merkel cell carcinoma to recur.
Treatment Option Overview
There are different types of treatment for patients with Merkel cell carcinoma.
Different types of treatments are available for patients with Merkel cell carcinoma . Some treatments are standard (the currently used treatment), and some are being tested in clinical trials . Before starting treatment, patients may want to think about taking part in a clinical trial. A treatment clinical trial is a research study meant to help improve current treatments or obtain information on new treatments for patients with cancer . When clinical trials show that a new treatment is better than the standard treatment, the new treatment may become the standard treatment.
Clinical trials are taking place in many parts of the country. Information about ongoing clinical trials is available from the NCI Web site. Choosing the most appropriate cancer treatment is a decision that ideally involves the patient, family, and health care team.
Three types of standard treatment are used:
Surgery
One or more of the following surgical procedures may be used to treat Merkel cell carcinoma:
- Wide local excision : The cancer is cut from the skin along with some of the healthy tissue around it.
- Mohs micrographic surgery : Individual layers of cancerous tissue are removed and examined under a microscope one at a time until no more cancer cells are seen. This type of surgery removes as little normal tissue as possible and is often used to remove skin cancer on the face.
- Sentinel lymph node biopsy : The removal of the sentinel lymph node (the first lymph node the cancer is likely to spread to from the tumor ) during surgery. A radioactive substance and/or blue dye is injected near the tumor. The substance or dye flows through the lymph ducts to the lymph nodes. The first lymph node to receive the substance or dye is removed for biopsy . A pathologist views the tissue under a microscope to look for cancer cells. If cancer cells are not found, it may not be necessary to remove more lymph nodes.
- Lymph node dissection : A surgical procedure in which the lymph nodes are removed and examined to see whether they contain cancer. For a regional lymph node dissection , some of the lymph nodes in the tumor area are removed; for a radical lymph node dissection , most or all of the lymph nodes in the tumor area are removed. This procedure is also called lymphadenectomy.
Even if the doctor removes all the cancer that can be seen at the time of the surgery, some patients may be given chemotherapy or radiation therapy after surgery to kill any cancer cells that are left. Treatment given after the surgery, to increase the chances of a cure , is called adjuvant therapy .
Radiation therapy
Radiation therapy is a cancer treatment that uses high-energy x-rays or other types of radiation to kill cancer cells. There are two types of radiation therapy. External radiation therapy uses a machine outside the body to send radiation toward the cancer. Internal radiation therapy uses a radioactive substance sealed in needles, seeds , wires, or catheters that are placed directly into or near the cancer. The way the radiation therapy is given depends on the type and stage of the cancer being treated.
Chemotherapy
Chemotherapy is a cancer treatment that uses drugs to stop the growth of cancer cells, either by killing the cells or by stopping the cells from dividing. When chemotherapy is taken by mouth or injected into a vein or muscle, the drugs enter the bloodstream and can reach cancer cells throughout the body (systemic chemotherapy ). When chemotherapy is placed directly into the spinal column , an organ , or a body cavity such as the abdomen , the drugs mainly affect cancer cells in those areas (regional chemotherapy ). The way the chemotherapy is given depends on the type and stage of the cancer being treated.
New types of treatment are being tested in clinical trials.
Information about ongoing clinical trials is available from the NCI Web site.
Treatment Options by Stage
Stage I Merkel Cell Carcinoma
Treatment of stage I Merkel cell carcinoma may include the following:
Stage II Merkel Cell Carcinoma
Treatment of stage II Merkel cell carcinoma may include the following:
Stage III Merkel Cell Carcinoma
Treatment of stage III Merkel cell carcinoma is usually chemotherapy .
Treatment Options for Recurrent Merkel Cell Carcinoma
Treatment of recurrent Merkel cell carcinoma may include the following:
Changes to This Summary (06/25/2007)
The PDQ cancer information summaries are reviewed regularly and updated as new information becomes available. This section describes the latest changes made to this summary as of the date above.
Editorial changes were made to this summary.
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PDQ is the National Cancer Institute's (NCI's) comprehensive cancer information database. Most of the information contained in PDQ is available online at NCI's Web site. PDQ is provided as a service of the NCI. The NCI is part of the National Institutes of Health, the federal government's focal point for biomedical research.
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PDQ also contains information on clinical trials.
A clinical trial is a study to answer a scientific question, such as whether one treatment is better than another. Trials are based on past studies and what has been learned in the laboratory. Each trial answers certain scientific questions in order to find new and better ways to help cancer patients. During treatment clinical trials, information is collected about new treatments, the risks involved, and how well they do or do not work. If a clinical trial shows that a new treatment is better than one currently being used, the new treatment may become "standard." Patients may want to think about taking part in a clinical trial. Some clinical trials are open only to patients who have not started treatment.
Listings of clinical trials are included in PDQ and are available online at NCI's Web site. Descriptions of the trials are available in health professional and patient versions. Many cancer doctors who take part in clinical trials are also listed in PDQ. For more information, call the Cancer Information Service 1-800-4-CANCER (1-800-422-6237); TTY at 1-800-332-8615.
2006-02-212007-06-25
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